First public hearing on school budget slated for March 24
Business manager Michael Marshall outlined the process for certifying the budget for fiscal year 2026 for the district.
The board will publish their first budgets Thursday, March 13, in local newspapers. Linn County will begin mailing out official tax statements March 15.
The first public hearing on the budget will be held March 24 at the regular Mount Vernon School Board meeting.
Another public hearing will be held at the April 14 school board meeting, with final deadline for approval slated for April 30.
Marshall said that he is planning a budget to reflect at a minimum a 2 percent supplemental aid from the state government. There is talk right now in the legislature that aid could be higher, but the governor has been on record she wants a 2 percent allowable growth.
This year’s debt service levy reflects that the district has paid off general obligation bonds taken out in 2012, but has general obligation bonds from 2018 and 2019 still on the books.
The district will publish the highest proposed property tax they anticipate levying for any publications. That rate may change to be lower, but it can not increase higher.
Rollback on assessed values of properties is set by the state, while valuation of properties is set by the county.
Flowthrough dollars for AEA will also be increased this year, with the district receiving more of that money. Any excess dollars not spent to the AEA will flow into the general funds.
MV middle school soccer sanctioned
The Mount Vernon middle school program will be sanctioned this year as an official sport for middle school, with two coaches at the middle school level being added for this year.
Superintendent Matt Leeman said that the maximum expected to pay for the sport this year is $10,000, and the district will draw on gates and concession stand sales for three home contests to help offset the costs. Teachers are aware the expenditure for the program comes from the general fund, and many noted the signed petition for sanctioning the sport
Rich Lewis, one of the volunteer soccer coaches, said that practices usually happen in fields around the middle school for the teams, and they use gym space as it is available for any indoor practices. Games will be played at the Mustang Activities Complex.
The board unanimously approved the sanctioning of the sport for middle school and advertising for the middle school coaching positions will begin ahead of this year’s season starting.
New projector purchased for PAC
The district also approved the purchase of a rear mounted projector to be used in the Performing Arts Center for $22,850. The Mount Vernon Fine Arts Association will pay for the purchase of the projector, but the district is covering the upfront cost at the moment.
The district has been renting a projector from an individual to use for a number of shows over the past few years, a piece of equipment that was not originally included in the purchase of the PAC.
School calendar approved
With a minor correction of one professional development day, the school calendar for Mount Vernon Schools for the 2025-26 school year was approved.
The correction for the school calendar was shifting a proposed teacher development day slated for Friday, Feb. 20 to instead happen on Monday, Feb. 16 instead. Feb. 16 is the President’s Day holiday in 2026, and overlaps with a day some people have off.
Discussion by the school board pertained to why the calendar is not synced to include Cornell College’s spring break. Currently, the spring break coincides with the dates of spring break for Kirkwood Community College and the Regents universities in the state. Board member Suzette Kragenbrink said aligning with Kirkwood’s spring break was beneficial for students enrolled in Kirkwood classes, as that would provide a greater hardship to students to have instructional days during a break period.
Another concern was the early out days as an inconvenience for parents lining up childcare.
Superintendent Matt Leeman said that the teachers union was aware of those concerns and utilizied a mix of early outs and full days off to meet the needed professional development days for staff.
“We understand the early outs do provide a challenge and hardship for ur families, but it also provides more opportunities for our staff.”
Open enrollment deadline is March 1
The open enrollment dates for school districts have changed. Instead of an open-ended date to open enroll students in another school district, the deadline to open enroll students for the 2025-26 school year is now back to March 1. Kindergarten students have until Sept. 1 to open enroll into a district.